Shop April Cornell

My home in Northern Vermont is still snow coated and cool, with just a tease of warm air and cracking ice to be heard.

I say it is time to Springify! I am grabbing the hot colors of spring and bringing them indoors. The last of my Xmas brocades are heading for the basement and oranges and roses are decorating my table. I love the hothouse pinks of our new Paisley Bouquet print and they marry up nicely with the real pink roses from my favorite market. I add some matching red pears, limes and oranges to my table, and you would never know that outside is dove grey and brown.

What do you do to brighten up your February days?Tell me your tale and you may be chosen to win a set of colorful placemats and napkins from my Spring 2010 collection (please remember to include your email address, so I can contact you!)

41 comments:

Yes, spring is almost here. I'm getting ready to put away the snowman collection and bring out the Easter eggs and flowers. I have a tree in my dining room which is decorated for the seasons. Right now it is covered with Valentines and is ready for St. Patrick's Day and Easter! Woo-hoo.

I am a nature-lover, so I must have botanical elements inside all year. In February, I like to decorate my mantel and foyer table with cool-bright winter colors that hint of the spring to come. I often dress my mantle in shades of pink and rose, remembering Valentine's day, but also looking ahead to the azaleas that will bloom in my yard in a few weeks. Ah, the harbingers of Spring!

Well, yesterday we had beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures... so lovely! And such a tease!!Today, we have 15cm of snow. And it is cold again! Yuck! So I am indeed ready to spring-up our home... A couple of chair-seats need new covers, and I am going through my stash of fabrics to find something fresh. There's a new pale green cloth on the kitchen table... that helps!But, the best method to springify that I've found today: eating ice cream sandwiches. There -- it's officially Spring in Sheffield! ;-)

To brighten up my February days I put on some summertime music and I play and sew with bright fun colors that make me happy. I also spend time paging through all of the garden catalogs that are showing up in the mail. Anngr8dmbfan@hotmail.com

One thing that I love to do to usher Spring into my life is to throw out some lovely sunflower seeds, peanuts, dried cherries and raisins for the birds! I also have a lovely "Perch" that my grandson made for me out of a large bucket of stones into which he placed some fallen branches and a shepherd's hook which holds my bird feeder.My husband and I are enjoying the lovely bright red cardinals with their funny little black faces and bright orange beaks. We are also enjoying the towhees, sparrows, as well as the glorious shade of blue of our Eastern Bluebirds, and the dark periwinkle of the blue jays. But what really sings Spring to my heart is the sunny yellow plumage of our tiny goldfinches! Birdfeeding and birdwatching have brought great joy into my life and into the lives of many who have visited our home.

Since this is my birthday month, February, it always remind me that Spring is just around the corner with lovely colors such as sunny yellows, as the daylight is much longer now, and florescent splashes of pinks and purples (my favourite colors) displayed in a beautiful bouquet of mixed flowers for a centerpiece on my diningroom table which of course is adorned by only April's lovely Springtime collection tablecloths. With the aroma of homemade baked goodies to entertain all my friends and relatives, what more could a girl want for a special birthday gift! Keep the love and laughter grow each day and see yourself live younger with happiness from Linda Linstead

Oooh, what a nice giveaway of some beautiful springy items! I like to decorate my two tables (dining room and nook table) with gardening tablecloths (my daughter made them from decor fabric). I place a birdhouse, sunflowers in a watering can, and other gardening items as the centerpiece. Oh, when my guests walk in and see the springy decorations, they ooh and aah. I love spring the best of all seasons!

Beautiful picture! Really puts me in the mood for spring! We live in the Arizona desert, so every halfway nice day I open the windows and enjoy the nice fresh air and pretend it's spring already! It's been a little rainy and windy here lately, so Definately changing up some colors throughout the house gives a fresh feeling! Thanks for the chance to win!

On cold and gloomy days I dig through my fabric stash and make something with the brightest and most colorful scraps I can find. Making something springlike makes me feel like spring actually will be here soon.

i live in israel so its all ready spring.i actualy miss the grey colors.so i try to simplfy the amount and mixture of colors in my house.i wish my house would have that wintery feeling insted of getting hot so soonthanks!

February is one of my favorite months because my oldest daughter was born in Feb. We make it special by putting up lots of birthday decorations- I have a birthday teapot, plus pink and green depression glass that looks so pretty on display. It's very uplifting to see such spring-y colors- and who doesn't like cake? Her birthday cake is sure to cheer me up on a cold day!

To brighten up my February days...I open the windows, all of them, first thing. And I turn on all the lights. And I put on my robe and make hot tea and stand over the stove trying to get warm. Also I sew!

OOOh, April Cornell I'm so ready for Spring! Any of your beautiful floral spring linens will make it real for me! I mean, I have a Christmas tablecloth my father in law bought for me from your store in VT but it's so much nicer to see the flowers draping my dining room table! For now, I just focus on making beautiful spring and summer colored reusable produce bags which is what I do!

To prepare the house for Spring, in February I exchange dark wintery flower arrangements and linens for light, cheery ones, switch out my cranberry candle wreaths for forsythia and start thinking about gardening and all of the wonderful herbs, flowers and vegetables to come!

We celebrate Noruz, the Iranian new year on the first day of spring. Since we live in MD, everyone is counting down the days this year. We've been covered in snow since before Christmas. With a house full of little ones, we are looking forward to picnics at the park. So this year we started planning our gardens and celebrations a little earlier in hopes of bringing it a little closer.

We live in Canada's north, so spring doesn't typically reach us until April, sometimes May. By February I am definitely in need of a boost. I tend to put away all things red or dark, and lighten the palette as much as possible in the house - creams and whites with pops of bright spring colours. I buy potted spring flowers and bulbs to keep on the dining room table so I can dream of spring after looking out the window at the snowdrifts. djvenema (at) gmail (dot) com

I love to "springify" and I do this by cleaning off the window ledges (double check to see if they also need a fresh coat of paint) and I place spring accessories birdhouse, garden branches with buds ~taken from weekend yard cleanup~ and put in vases. And for the final touch, I introduce some spring linens to the table and sink-side. That is my spring eye candy. verasmart@shaw.ca

I live in Edmonotn, Alberta and our winters are very long. To brighten my February days, I start by purging my tattered kitchen linens - usually the oven mitts that are scorched or have something sticky on them and then the pot holders. I order or bring out new ones I have ordered. My stained tea towels go to a lady who makes "rag bags". I make a point of buying cut flowers (tulips, daffodils and hyacinths) until my own bulbs are ready to bloom. I open a window during the day to hear the birds singing and wait patiently for the first sounds of the robins and geese returning; and poof February is gone and March brings the first signs of Spring. Another cycle completed. Life is great.

To help springify I attack my cluttered corners and also plant flowers. Kentucky winters are very dreary and about this time of year spring fever is rather intense!! It would be lovely to win fresh spring linens. Thanks for the giveaway. Holly Schwartz, Kentucky, hollyanna66@gmail.com

To brighten my February days I like to rubber stamp and craft.....I love to use flowers in my work to brighten the days.......and just THINK SPRING!!!! I have loved your products for a long time and miss your store in Shrewsbury NJ a great deal!!!! YOur blue and white bags would brighten my days!

To get ready for Spring, and basically fight the winter grays of central New York, I've started painting my house. Almost 2 years ago, I decided I needed more "me" color in the house, and started using my April Cornell tableclothes in my dining room, even though they clashed with the ugly wallpaper. . . and started painting my upstairs rooms. I was 5 months pregnant when we moved here (6 yrs ago), so the walls were all a drab color that was the 'sell your house' paint. Now the girls room is pink, the guest room was an awesome purple, the hallway is a lovely spring green, and the guest room is now blue - for my 3 yr old boy. His old room is a different shade of blue - for the new baby coming in April. My bedroom is still unpainted, and the dining room wallpaper is still ugly, but I've been fooling around with the sewing machine to make kids curtains, and considering making curtains for other parts of the house.

One thing I've learned - use the pretty things even if they don't 'match' your house.I can't change the floor color in the foyer, but I don't have to committ to matching it! I don't like the color of my dining room chairs, but I'll ignore that today, and set a beautiful table anyways. I'll change the chair seats when I have time. :)Meanwhile, I have *MY* colors on the table.

I play "happy" music. Open the windows, just a little bit, for some fresh air. Then I start organizing. Since I'm in Virginia, usually I can start putting away my "heavy" sweaters and can pull out some lighter weight, brighter colored items. Change the table cloth from reds, to spring greens. Put away winter looking placemats and bring out the lemons and oranges! This year Easter is pretty early so I think the "bunnies" will be put out this weekend! I have a flag outside with bunnies on it and some for my mantle inside. Oh, and this year I want to "freshen" up my pillows on the sofa and chairs with new floral/spring-like covers!

I love your style, and collect your tea towels. You have inspired me to mix and match a lot more. I have a facebook page called Sneak a peek home decorating that will be showcasing a lot of my great finds from your store! I just planted some bulbs in your beautiful green pottery!

I live in California where spring is bkursting forth in the rain!I take photographs of the flowers, blossoms on trees, bright green of spring! I make quilts with bright spring flowers...I love to get out your flowery tablecloths and give my dining a touch of spring!

We bring in spring by filling the bird feeder...robins, bluebirds, wood peckers, and foxtail squirrels fill the woods...but, it is 22 degrees here in Florida! And, we change to bright spring colors in the fabric for baby quilts as gifts. Your color choices will really cheer up the house. mlwright29 at hotmail .com

The buds are opening and I feel like the first shopper in the store or the flea market...as they open...I feel like a get the jump on spring...! Just like your give away!Thanks so much for your colors!

Since my home lattitude is similiar to yours, The winter months can be dreary, though I know that the sun is always shining(many times above the clouds). I decorate my home to embrace the spririt of that month's Holidays and festivities. Years ago, after Christmas Decoartions came down, my home seemed empty and lacking. Realizing that it was because of the love and festivities of the Holidays being put away, I came to decorate for each season with what we celebrate or what nature throws at us. Now with having grandchildren, it still works and my little collections have grown. ALso a fresh bouquet on the table helps bring more smiles to faces. February is winter with some hearts thrown in for good measure.

Dear April I caregive my 96 year old mother-in-law and our surroundings are so vital to keeping us happy!!!This month I springified by painting my kitchen in a beautiful tuscan yellow...Its so warm and sunny ....Now Im looking to accessorize in more Tuscan colors.I love the madeline yellow nice and cheery!!!Just a lovely kiss of sunny yellow and bright bouquets of flowers...enough to warm my moments.Thanks April Wendy barkerbears@yahoo.com

I know spring is almost here, I can move my plants out into the sun room without there being a risk of temps dropping way below zero and they freeze. My spring linens have come out for the sun room, and right now it looks bright and sunny and happy. A moment of sunshine and spring before I look out the window and still see snow in the back yard. It will soon be gone!!!!